By Business & Finance 
The latest figures from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) report that 57,100 more people are at work in the last year.
Minister for Business and Employment, Ged Nash TD, has welcomed the latest figures, which show that the unemployment rate in July has fallen to 9.5%.
“I am particularly pleased to see that the vast majority of the jobs being created are full-time jobs with an increase of 56,800 full-time employment on this time last year and 300 in part-time employment,” said Nash.
“The number of people who are long-term unemployed is also continuing to fall and now stands at 5.5%, down from 6.8% last year. However, it is still too high and I and my colleagues are determined to return this country to full employment by 2018, with a strong focus on helping the long-term unemployed to access the training and up-skilling opportunities which will assist them in returning to the workforce.”
Employment has increased by 3% in the year to Q2 2015. Increases are recorded across the majority of sectors, with strong growth particularly in the construction, financial, insurance and real estate sectors. According to the CSO figures, this is the 12th consecutive quarter where unemployment has decreased on an annual basis.
Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, Richard Bruton TD, added: “We are clearly moving in the right direction, but any momentum gained can be easily lost by a change of focus or a change in policy. More jobs will allow us reduce tax burdens which will encourage enterprise which will then allow us invest more in vital services.”
